[HPforGrownups] Re: Is Snape good or evil? (longer)

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 148966

> Pippin:
> Are you saying Harry didn't need to be punished?



sherry now:

I've been meaning to answer this with my own thoughts for several days but
between the flu and weird work schedule ... anyway, forgive me if the thread
has died out.  

actually, I think Harry should have been punished, but punishing him by
rubbing his father's misdeeds in his face was not the best way to do it, in
my opinion.  even if Harry can admit to himself, that his father and company
weren't always particularly nice, he's probably never going to admit that to
Snape.  In fact, the reaction I'd expect to that punishment would be to more
firmly bind Harry to defending his father.  You know, closing ranks to
defend his family sort of thing.  I've mentioned on this list in the past,
that my dad had some issues.  But he was my dad, and I would not allow an
outsider to bad mouth him to me, nor would my siblings.  If a teacher
thought to punish me by making me read all about my dad's behavior, it would
only serve to turn me more against that teacher and to be even more loyal to
my father.  even if I could admit to myself that he wasn't always very nice
in certain areas, I would never admit that publicly to someone who obviously
hated him.  In fact, it would completely harden me against the lesson that
person was trying to teach me.  Snape's hatred of James and inability to
separate Harry from him only makes his punishment seem petty and childish to
me.  

Of course, in the RW, Harry should be expelled for what he did, and I don't
know what the wizarding world should have done.  But a petty
look-at-how-rotten-your-precious-father was sort of punishment isn't the way
to do it.  It sure didn't seem to have any effect on Harry.

Sherry